


Passing 'Lizbeth Grace's Inspection

by debbystitches



Series: Eliot Spencer's Heart [3]
Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:00:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24269347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/debbystitches/pseuds/debbystitches
Summary: The Werecat told me that The Tetrarch was planning a story where Eliot finds love and the gal had to meet his best girl.  She planned on it being funny and fun, well, I'm working on the funny but a little fun was had in the first chapter.So Eliot brings his love to meet the family.  Parker already knows her.
Relationships: Eliot Spencer/Original Female Character, Sophie Devereaux/Nathan Ford
Series: Eliot Spencer's Heart [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745050
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11





	1. Meet the Fords and Alec

Babe was so nervous. This was her first time meeting Eliot’s family. She ran her hands down her skirt for the 50th time. Eliot reached down and caught her hands with his. He pulled her knuckles up to kiss. “Relax Babe, they are going to love you and your boys.” She looked at the man she had loved forever and wanted to hold for the rest of her life. “I know, Parker approves so the rest should be a piece of cake. Right?” She shifted in the seat one more time as they pulled up to the building Leverage International was located in. The home of Nathan, Sophie and Elizabeth Grace Ford. 

Walking into the apartment Nate kept for his family and those that needed shelter at some time in their lives, Babe felt instantly welcome. Shaking hands with Nate, then getting a kiss and hug from Sophie and Parker at the same time was really comforting. Alec Hardison was a little aloof until she complemented the tech he had on the table near him. “I have one of those touch screens too. I just put a Samsung solid state drive in the accessory slot. Did you find you had trouble with your volume control when you got into the case?” Hardison grinned, “yeah, I did. What did you figure out to do?” “When loosening the screw close to that part of the board didn’t work. I disconnected the external volume controls.” “hmmm, I’ll have to try that. Thanks” Hardison shook her hand then hugged her after that. “Eliot” a soft sleepy voice called from down an adjacent hallway. “’Lizbeth Grace, my best girl. Come give me some lovin’s.” Little feet pattered across the floor in a hurried pace then She jumped to be caught by the her hero and best friend. “You were gone a long time with the virus.” “Yeah sweetheart, it caught me in Oklahoma but I found a friend while I was there. I hope you will think she’s a good friend.” Eliot turned the little girl to face Babe. 

“Wow, look at that scarf she is wearing. That is so pretty.” Babe’s heart melted. Leaning in to kiss the darling girl’s cheek, Eliot whispered, “She made it. She has what she likes to call post-apocalyptic granny skills.” Cocking an eyebrow and pursing her lips, “granny skills?” “Sorry Babe, the cat is out of the bag. She is a granny. She has a grand daughter about your age.” “And I have asked you not to call me a granny.” Babe replied. Eliot snickered but Elizabeth Grace didn’t really like how Babe talked to her Eliot. When Eliot went to put her down to cook for the family, she clung to him. “We can go downstairs to eat.” She insisted. “But I have all the fixin’s for fried chicken and biscuits. Babe’s grandmother’s recipes with gravy and real mashed potatoes.” 'Lizbeth Grace shook her head, “No, we’ll go downstairs.” Nate and Sophie tried to talk her out of the relocation but the little one stood her ground. She was staying in Eliot’s arms. 

Elizabeth Grace seated everyone according to her needs, meaning Babe was seated across the table from Eliot and his little charge. Babe was feeling fidgety being between Sophie and Parker so she turned to the thing that made her feel better. She pulled a small pouch from her purse. She took a steel crochet hook from the outside pocket then a little amigurumi bear made from slender wire and beads. Little seed beads danced in the light as Babe continued to work the 3 dimensional pattern. One by one the questions started. "When did you learn? How do you work with something so small? Can you make...?" Babe answered the questions easily looking people in the eye while stitching. Elizabeth Grace was entranced watching the beads take shape with the wire. The tiniest bear she had ever seen emerged while they were waiting for the food. She was disappointed to see the little bear disappear when the food arrived. They talked about IYS, Sterling and other things while the little one studied Babe and watched Eliot talk to her and about her. He looked at Babe like Daddy looked at Mommy. “Will you have babies with Eliot?” she interrupted the conversation to ask. Babe looked down at her lap? “Well since I’m a grandma, I think I’m a little too old to be having babies.” Everyone looked at Eliot with a little regret that he couldn’t be a father if he stayed with Babe. Eliot looked at his family at the table. “Look, this isn’t something we have really talked about. ‘Lizbeth Grace, babies aren’t the only reason people get married. They do it because they cannot live without each other. To have someone at home to be there.” “But that’s what we are here for.” The little girl argued. “Yes my dear but you see how your mommy and daddy are with each other, and you know I have always wanted that.” “But I own your heart, you said, you promised.” “Oh honey,” Sophie tried to help. “It’s not that he wants to replace you. He will love you just as much but people grow, and their hearts grow too. They get bigger and have room for more love. Eliot has always had the extra room to have Babe in his heart then he added room for you, and us and Parker and Hardison.” Nate added his twist on things. “Baby girl, you know when you get a new doll, you still love your old dolls and Eliot but you love the new one too?” Elizabeth Grace, pondered her father’s point. “So my heart grows like the Grinch?” “Exactly.” Eliot said. The little one didn’t really think this was the same but she wanted that bear. She would give Babe a chance but only one chance. 

Later in the evening when everyone had warm drinks and dessert in the apartment, Babe was crocheting again. Elizabeth Grace had squirmed between Babe and Eliot but she was much more interested in the little wire and bead bear taking shape. The body was put together and Babe was stitching on details with wire and a needle when she smiled at Elizabeth Grace. She put one finger up to her lips then pulled out very small scissors. Babe reached over the girl and ran her fingers through Eliot’s hair playing with it then she used those little scissors to snip a bit of Eliot’s hair. He caught her eye when she tried to play innocent. Elizabeth Grace giggled a deep belly laugh. Eliot let the two women he loved most in life have their victory. With practiced skill Babe took the snip of hair and wove it into the top of the bears head giving the beaded bear a mohawk of Eliot’s hair then added whiskers and chin hair. The little one was entranced as Babe stuffed fluff into the back of the bear and stitched him closed. Babe squished and tugged getting the little bear to really look like a bear before laying him in her open hand and gifting it to Elizabeth Grace. 

The little girl squealed in happiness the minute she touched the creation. The glass beads made him cool and smooth but bumpy. The beads were colored brown where there was supposed to be fur, black for foot pads and blue glowing eyes just a little larger than the rest. Eliot touched it’s nose and growled. “'Lizbeth Grace, this one looks kinda like the one that tried to eat Hardison.” “Alec said that one was big, old and smelly.” She replied. “Well it doesn’t take much to be bigger than Uncle Hardison does there.” The hacker shook his head at the exchange. He didn’t want his little niece to feel uncomfortable with nature like he was. Eliot was in charge of getting the little one educated about that stuff. Parker squatted down in front of the trio and looked at the bear. “Very nice Babe.” Parker said patting her contemporary on the knee. “You did an awesome job with that my love.” Eliot added. Babe smiled a big loving smile at Eliot. Elizabeth Grace thought the talented woman was good for Eliot after all, but time would tell if she would be better than me for Eliot. Sophie saw a sly smile cross her daughter's face.

I think it’s bedtime for you my dear, Sophie started “Can Eliot read me the book and tuck me in?” Elizabeth Grace asked sweetly. “I would love to.” Eliot answered. He leaned over the little one to kiss Babe, “I’ll be back in 20 minutes.” “We’ll be fine.” Parker answered for Babe. Parker asked Babe about her scar and how she was healing. “Are you still doing your exercises?” Babe went through her accomplishments in her rehab. “Dr. Scott was please at the last check-up.” The conversation turned to rehab accomplishments for each of the adults and Parker told her about using Elizabeth Grace as a helper when she was little. They laughed and laughed.

“Eliot,” Elizabeth Grace started to say after brushing her teeth and getting into her night shirt. “Are you really going to marry Babe?” Eliot looked back down the hall. “Yeah ‘Lizbeth Grace, I really did marry her.” “DID” the little girl squealed at him. “Shhh, you are the first to know.” “But, I was supposed to be there, I’m your best girl. I have to throw a party and flowers and rings and, and, and you did it without me.” A tear welled up in her eye. “Listen darlin, we did it in a rush and I’m hoping you would be the host of our wedding celebration on Memorial Day weekend. We want to have a big party, everything you think we should have.” Elizabeth Grace’s eyes got really big. “Everything?” “Yeah, if you have any questions, you ask your mother about it okay?” The little girl looked at Eliot, “Tell me what made you want to marry her?” Eliot started. “One day when I was just a kid, not as young as you I went to a football game. The University of Oklahoma was playing Oklahoma State University and I loved going to that game most of all. I was hanging out behind the bleachers waiting for some friends to come in the gate. I kept seeing this girl come in and fill a jug with water then go back to the parking lot. She come back and fill the jug again. She did this 5 times before I got curious and followed her back out to the parking lot. She was bending into the engine compartment of this big ugly orange truck. It was rusty and had bald tires but she was crooning to the engine. “That’s right pumpkin, drink up. I’m sorry we pushed you so hard. I promise we’ll take it easy going home.” Eliot said in a falsetto voice. Elizabeth Grace giggled. “This girl was in white shorts and a bright orange top. She worked on that truck carefully to keep the grease off of her clothes but she managed to get oil in her hair and down the back of one arm. She had dirt on her knees and her knuckles were bloody. I took one look at her wiping her hands with an OU jersey and I was in love. Now I’m an OU fan, I went to college there for a bit and that was my intention when I met this beauty because we were still in high school at this time. She was definitely an OSU fan right down to the color of her old truck. I just couldn’t help it, though, I loved her from that one sight. I helped her get the truck running and hung out with her in the parking lot for the rest of the game until her friends came out. I learned that she came to the City, That’s what she called Oklahoma City. She came to be with her dad every weekend. That year she was going to graduate from high school and come to the City to go to college. I saw her every weekend for months. We worked in the barns at her father’s place, we rode horses. We played music, we made plans. Then right before graduation she called and told me her mother was taking her to Utah. She couldn’t get out of it. She was sorry and I didn’t see her again. Until this year.” “Eliot, that was a sad story” Elizabeth Grace concluded. “I know but I found her again and I’m so happy.” “That’s a good ending to the story.” The little one yawned and Eliot kissed her goodnight then sent her parents in for their nighttime kisses too. 

Eliot told his family about the wedding and that ‘Lizbeth Grace was in charge of the celebration. “I don’t care if she hires elephants and jugglers, I want her to have the time of her life. He passed a black credit card to Sophie and she told him she would keep the circus theme as minimal as possible. They said their good-byes and Eliot told her about his bedtime story. Babe was quiet looking out the side window for the rest of the ride back to their place.


	2. Blue Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliot finds out about family secrets. He's not the only one that has a bitter past with family. Watch out for the f*bomb.

‘Lizbeth Grace took her wedding planning seriously. She had Alec order her a planning guide online. “one with a three-ring binder so I can add pictures and print outs.” Hardison did as instructed, finding one that could be picked up locally so his God daughter could get started right away. “Babe?” the young girl asked on the phone. “what are your measurements?” Babe was taken by surprise when Lizzie came out with the question. “Honey, I’m a size 30. You’re not going to be able to find a dress to fit me. When you find the dress you like, we’ll buy the material and I’ll make us both a dress just like the picture.” Lizzie agreed to the idea. “Those granny skills again.” Lizzie muttered under her breath when she disconnected the call. Sophie smothered a smile as she watched her daughter plan, tick off things on her list then pick up the phone again and again. 

In the end, Babe and Lizzie were dressed in two different shades of lavender watered silk. The dresses and their lace were cut exactly the same, but Lizzie looked like hers was a baby doll dress and Babe looked like a 40’s pinup in the A-line dress. Lizzie loved the dresses, but she didn’t like that Babe made Eliot’s eyes smolder while he just showed his usual ‘Lizbeth Grace smile to her. They danced and danced. Eliot was always on the dance floor with one of his gals. But ‘Lizbeth Grace also had all those brothers to dance with. Babe’s boys were so fun, and they called her Lizzie. She loved each of them and laughed loud when they dipped her or twirled her around the room. She also discovered that she loved her new niece. It was fun being called Aunt Lizzie by Babe’s granddaughter. They were fast friends when Lizzie discovered the girl had matching dresses for her baby dolls just like Babe had made for Lizzie’s dolls. The party didn’t have animals at all which Eliot was thankful for but ‘Lizbeth Grace had warned him there would be lots of music and food. Eliot was having a great time with his friends and family. “’Lizbeth Grace, my darlin’ you did an awesome job planning this party.” He praised his best girl while they were dancing. “Thank you, Eliot. I had fun, it was more fun than planning a job.” She confessed. Eliot’s smile dimmed a little thinking of the times that the little one was in danger. “From now on, you are leaving me with Babe so I can protect her, right?” The statement took Eliot by surprise. “You want to protect her?” “Yes, she’s part of your heart and she will need to be protected.” Eliot was shook by the way this young girl had taken to her responsibility of looking after more family than ever. 

“You know, ‘Lizbeth Grace, I’m taking her and her boys to Wapanjara for the summer. Would you like to go with us?” “All of us? Or is this when you take a lady friend?” “I’ll have to talk to the team about going but all of us if you don’t mind.” They began talking about the trips they had taken in the last few years with and without the team. Things they should show Babe. “Okay darlin’ we’re going back to Oklahoma for a week then we will be back to pick up those that are going.” Lizzie was so excited to be going home for the summer. It would be the Wet time down under, but she didn’t mind. She liked the cool nights between storms. Maybe she could go to Oklahoma with them too. Lizzie started scheming to get more traveling time with her favorite person. Lizzie didn’t go to Oklahoma with the couple and their sons after all. She came down with a tummy ache and a fever and the mommas said no travel. Lizzie wasn’t too happy with Babe when she agreed with Sophie. 

Babe and her two younger sons went with Eliot to check on his father one day of their week in Oklahoma. The elder Spencer wasn’t home so Eliot started looking around. He made a list of things he needed from town and sent Babe and the boys shopping. While Alex worked on his dad's place, he ventured up to the family plot at the base of a hill where the meadow ended. This was where generations of Spencers were buried with their spouses and kids. He walked past the leaning markers, weather worn and covered with lichen. He stopped at the one that said Beloved daughter ~ wife ~ mother. "Hey mom," his voice cracked as he squatted down to pull the tall grass from the stones. Each time he came here he laid a collection of rocks from his travels on the grave. After many years, the rock bed was as long as the casket. Her favorite colored stones made up the border. He whispered words of love and regret to the grave as he worked. He touched the small marker just to her right for an un-named baby that was born too soon. His mother's heart started failing the day the angel was born. "I heard a song on a cd the other day. It made me think of you. " He softly sang "Mama" to her as he finished pulling grass. Before he left, he said, "I'm going to bring some bulbs, tulips and hyacinth for the baby next time." It was then he noticed one of the stones in the bed was heart shaped and had a wire bale and a chain attached. Etched in the back of the cabochon ground stone was, “Dear Grandmother, We were born 2/4/1990 in Utah. We found our mother 2/4/2009. Hold our hope for our father close to your heart until he finds us. Carson and Kaylee Monroe-Spencer."

Eliot was dumbfounded 1989 was when Babe had left Oklahoma for Utah. Babe must be the mother these people mentioned. It was 2020 and she knew these kids were looking for him? Eliot was so confused. He walked down the hill to wait for Babe and the boys to arrive. When his father arrived first the elder Spencer saw that Eliot fixed the front door and repositioned one of the posts. Eliot repainted the chairs in the yard, cleaned the stalls and oiled the tack before his dad got back from town. Eliot helped unload the feed and groceries, minded his manners and took the abuse his dad heaps on him, but in Eliot’s mind he is seeing the 65 ways Eliot can kill the jerk with a toothpick. Then he spies the chain hanging from Eliot’s pocket. “You saw it then?” The old man asks. “Yeah what do you know about it?” Eliot responds. “The two of them come up here every year. They ask about you, have I seen you, do I know where you are? They bring gifts and money. I put it all in your room.” Eliot looks at his father. “And Babe, do they mention her?” “Babe? That girl you dated in high school? Ah of course, I never thought about it. They look like you, blue eyes, dark hair, not like her with fair skin and freckles. I never put it together.” Eliot thought about his father’s response then asked. “It says they found her in 2009, but she never told me about them. What do you know about them?” His father sat down on his tail gate. 

“They don’t talk about her, their mom. They talk about their adoptive parents, their educations, their lives in Seattle. Their dating and marriages. I went to both weddings. Their plans to have kids. They come every February and September. If I knew where to reach you, I would have told you but the last number I had for you, the one in Boston stopped working. Carson is so smart, he’s a teacher, computer science at a university up there in Seattle. Kaylee is a social worker. They both have foster kids, troubled teens not babies or little ones. They’re 30 now, almost too old to have kids you know, well not by today’s standard but well, you know things can be rough. Come to think about it they know about Babe’s boys and granddaughter.” Eliot worked hard to keep his anger hidden from his father until Babe pulled up in the truck with her boys. His father, saw the anger on Eliot’s face, placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Give her the heart and then listen.” Eliot could see himself break his father’s brittle fingers or wrist but regaining control of himself he nodded his head. 

Eliot tells his step sons where to put the provisions they bought then turns to his wife. “Babe, can we take a walk?” With a smile she agrees and waving at Eliot’s father she follows her husband around the side of the house. As they walk to the burial plot, Eliot says, “I came up here to clean the weeds out of the stones and I found this.” Eliot hands the heart shaped stone to her. “Look at the back” he says gruffly. 

Babe stopped walking as she finished the inscription. “They found me? Carson and Kaylee? Eliot, I’ve tried so many times to tell you over the last 4 months. But I didn’t know anything about them except their birthdate and the unwed mother’s home I gave birth in. I looked, I hired professionals. Because it was done by a baby broker, I never could find anything. Eliot, please, do you know anything?” “My dad says they have been coming here for years, twice a year.” “But you and your dad…” “Right and he couldn’t reach me. He didn’t know it was you. They did but I guess, they never asked him.” “Oh Eliot, they’re 30 now.” “And married, educated, and foster parents to troubled teens.” “Monroe, Carson and Kaylee” “He’s a professor of computer sciences in Seattle and she’s a social worker.” Babe reached for Eliot but he recoiled just a bit. When he saw her heartbreak he pulled her to him. “I’m sorry Babe, I’m really sorry my love. I know, I didn’t , I believe you. I’m sorry.” She cried in his arms until she couldn’t stand. He held her as she crumpled. He followed her down and pulled her into his lap. He crooned to her until she was cried out. The boys made to come to them once, but Eliot’s dad pulled them back around the house. 

By the time Eliot and Babe made it back to the house they boys had assembled a grill, fired up the coals and put steaks on to sear. Eliot’s dad was cutting up salad veggies at the table the boys had brought out from the kitchen. Eliot put Babe in a chair at the end of the table then placed two bottles of water in front of her. “Dad?” he began to ask his father. “Do you have a way to reach the twins?” “I do.” He stood and walked up the steps to the house. Coming back out he opened a little leather address book Eliot remembered seeing by the phone all of his life. “Kaylee is at…” and he read the numbers off for both kids, work, home, cellphone. Then the older of Babe’s boys said. “I have Carson’s email address.” “you never told me you knew about them.” “They said you refused to talk to them, gramma Mary told them you didn’t want to be bothered.” “My fucking mother.” Eliot’s dad was a little shocked to hear his daughter-in-law speak that way. “She’s been gone for almost 10 years. She never told you?” “I only know because Auntie gave me her computer to wipe. I found the emails and wrote Carson that she had died. How to reach us. I offered to introduce you but he told me what gramma said and well I thought she was telling the truth.” 

Babe started crying again. She didn’t eat but the menfolk choked down the steaks and salad as fast as they could to get things over and Babe back to the motel room. The minute they were back at in civilization and their cellphones worked again, Babe took the numbers and called her missing children. She explained that her mother had and lied the whole story came out. On speaker phone and with call sharing Eliot and Babe met their children. They talked for hours until both of the kids said they needed to excuse themselves for work the next day. Eliot held his wife as she cried happy tears in the middle of the night. They talked about plans for the summer and legal arrangements that needed to be made. Eliot texted Hardison with the twins’ information and asked him to do a background check on them. Eliot didn’t sleep that night. He kept watch his phone. He held Babe as she slept but he could not close his eyes without voices from his past haunting him. You’re children will suffer from your past he heard a very nasty female voice say. They will never be safe. Eliot thought about it, over and over, there were so many to protect now. Babe’s boys, the grand daughter, the twins, their spouses, their kids and ‘Lizbeth Grace. How could he keep them all safe? Eliot pulled away from his wife just as the sky started to lighten. He picked up his stuff and loaded his duffle bag. He was leaving a note when the deadliest voice he had ever heard came from the bed. “Don’t you dare.”


	3. Gettin' You Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliot discovers he is not the only warrior in the family.

Eliot turned to see Babe sitting up in bed. Her voice had changed, her eyes were as hard as green diamonds in the dim light. A shiver of fear ran through Eliot. He had never really felt fear like this. She knew him. She knew his motives and his moves. He knew she saw through to his heart. There was a little brick layer in there slamming concrete block in place so fast the poor dude was sweating blood. “Babe, listen.” “No, you listen Eliot. I have laid in bed with before you knew how to kill. I’ve laid in bed with you after you learned how to kill, and I still love you. My boys love you. Your team loves you and 'Lizbeth Grace lives for you. You can’t walk out on part of us without leaving us all and you know it.” He went to interrupt. “Do you think I created the programs and technology to keep my family safe because I was just scared of one ex? You’re not the only one haunted and hunted. From what I have heard, you’re not hunted much anymore but when my cousin Angel shut down our uncle’s cartel connections, Eliot she put a target on my back too. I’ve lived with it for over 20 years. There’s nothing you can bring to the family that we can’t handle. If you chose to become the lone wolf again, instead of fighting in the pack you created, you’re in more danger than you ever were before. You’re going to kill yourself from the inside because you will kill your good wolf walking away.” He knew she was right but the voices in his head, they egged him on.

She stood then, naked in the brightening room. He saw the scars. The pucker in her right breast where he had assumed, she had a lumpectomy, but he knew there was a corresponding scar on her back. She had been shot or impaled. The cuts on her nose by the lump. The appendectomy scar that cut through the tattoo she got in high school. There was another just beneath it. He saw them then. All the dangerous injuries she had from a life protecting her children. Why couldn’t she protect Eliot too? Was she any more docile with the extra weight? Eliot crumpled to his knees then. She had laid him bare. This was a woman that had done it all. She killed and cared. She ended lives and gave it. All she asked was Eliot share his. The voices Eliot heard were shut off with one word. He heard her in the language of her people. Ozien. (Mine) 

One tear rolled down Eliot’s nose, Babe caught it with her palm and blessed it. She ran that one palm over Eliot’s hair, and he felt the warmth of her touch. She pulled him to the bed, she pulled his boots off. Removed his clothes with reverence and servitude then laid a light woven coverlet over him. This was the blanket Babe took everywhere with her. The light threads shimmered when touched. It was pastel threads of a washed-out sunrise in the fog. The image woven into the threads was an angel complete with large spread wings and a halo radiating light. Beneath it, Eliot warmed even more. She pulled him close as she slid beneath the far side. Eliot felt a change. He saw his wolves settle into one under the hand of that angel, then he saw other wolves, birds and a couple of camels appear in the background. Each one wore a blazon, tag on a chain. Eliot couldn’t make out the words, but he knew it said, “OL ZIR A NOCO DE ELO” (I am a servant of God) It was the same phrase on Babe’s back between her shoulder blades with wings on each side. Eliot slept that night beneath the cloth of Babe’s ancestors within Babe’s arms. In his mind he blessed his enemies and released their spirits into the stars. Eliot’s fears became weapons in his mental armory and his own soul relaxed into the gentle loping wolf running for pleasure. 

Returning to Portland Babe and Alex picked Lizzie up for a play-date. They had brought Babe’s granddaughter JJ, home with them. She was a brown-haired girl with bright blue eyes. The girls discussed dolls and accessories before moving on to television and movies then to music. They sat on the big bed Eliot’s guest room and got to know each other. When movie night started Eliot called the girls in to the den. He laid out nacho fixin’s, m&ms, popcorn, and twizzlers on the trays on the ottoman. He had tea, root beer and water lined up on the console table behind the sectional. Fixing the girls something to drink he dropped an ice cube down Babe’s back. When he returned to the seat next to her, she had a cube hidden in her hand. She dropped it in the front of his lounging pants and boxer briefs. She had not made a peep when he iced her but the cube in his pants made him yelp. Lizzie thought the noise was funny and when she questioned why Eliot had made the noise JJ leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Grandie probably pinched his butt.” That started a conversation between the girls that embarrassed Eliot to death. 

JJ said, “One day I was watching tv at home when my mom made a funny noise down the hall. I went that way, and found her sitting on daddy’s tummy and calling him cowboy. When they saw me, they rolled off the far side of the bed. I laughed so hard I peed my pants.” Babe and Eliot looked at each other and smiled. “you should text AJ that.” Eliot whispered to Babe. “I have lots of those stories about her.” Babe whispered back. The girls continued to share secrets and snack watching the movie. Those two giggling girls about 10 years old were the light in Eliot’s heart, from that moment on. The next day they ventured out to the street market. JJ started picking up beads, pendants and earrings. Eliot asked what she was thinking about. JJ said she had collection of charms and dangles she carried on bracelets and chains, some she put on her hiking stick where the real rabbit fur and carvings met. “The newest has a blessing carved into it and GP says he will make it longer as I grow.” “GP?” “That’s Grandpere. He’s not really my grandpa, he’s a man from Grandie’s tribe.” Babe joined the conversation. “He’s Corky’s father. He dated my mother for a while before he got married and Corky was born. He’s my honorary dad, the boys’ grand dad, and her great grandpere, GP.” 

Eliot thought about that. It was like him and 'Lizbeth Grace. Lizzie was copying her new role model, picking out beads and other shiny things. When Eliot ran out of cash, Babe opened her pocketbook to keep up with the purchases. Back at the house they went to Babe’s work room. When the fabric, scissors and cutting mat were put away there was a cool slab of white marble. Trays of wire, beads, findings and tools for making jewelry came out of the cabinets lining two walls. Earring things were taken apart and laced together for charm bracelets. Eliot sat on a stool watching. Babe pulled down a special tray from a shelf in a locked cabinet. She pulled out a pair of oyster shell angels. One without a hole and one with. She closed her eyes and whispered something to the little icons. Then she leaned to Lizzie. “Put this in your medicine bag.” Lizzie looked at her. That was a secret she shared with her family, Babe wasn’t family, well she was but… ”How did you know?” she asked Babe. “You are part of Eliot’s tribe. He has one, so I figured you did too.” Eliot smiled at the two loves of his life sharing a secret. Then he saw Lizzie pull the little roo skin pouch from under her hoodie open it and slide something white and shiny into the neck. She tied it closed and slipped the bag back beneath her shirt. He watched Babe take the other angel and attach a charm clip to it. She then reached for JJ’s wrist. She clipped the angel to the charm bracelet. JJ looked at it, winked at her grandmother and went back to working with wire and beads. Eliot watched as a new charm bracelet took shape for Lizzie. JJ made her a bead thong to hang on a walking stick. “Tomorrow when we go walking, we should find you a long stick to use and I’ll show you how to de-bark it and carve a place for your bead strings.” 

Eliot was a little leery about watching the girls carve the stick the next morning, but when Lizzie was 7, she got her Swiss Army knife and she knew how to use all the blades. He was a little startled when Babe brought out her own pocketknife to exchange when JJ’s blade got dull. Then he watched Babe sharpen the dulled blade with a honing stone and some oil as they walked. Babe was less than a year past her knee replacement and Eliot was wary of her stepping the wrong way. He watched her carefully. Conscious of Eliot’s guarded behavior, Babe whispered something to a wildflower and placed it in Eliot’s hair over his ear. The girls laughed but Eliot thought if she can play around with knives and flowers, her knee is fine. Eliot relaxed. 

When they returned from their hike, JJ’s parents and the Fords were waiting for them. AJ and Josie had started cooking. The house smelled delicious with fried chicken going and mashed potatoes boiling. Something sweet mixed with the smell of rising biscuits. Josie was at the stand mixer whipping up something that spread a layer of white powder across her apron. Eliot was a little territorial about the kitchen, but Babe put a hand on his arm. He knew Babe was a great cook and she taught AJ and Josie how to cook so he decided to chill. He pulled a beer from the cooler below the island and handed Babe a glass of ice water. They sat on the stools on the far side of the island supervising. Eliot laughed when Babe said put the whole stick of butter in the potatoes and use the cream instead of milk. When AJ pulled roasted garlic out with the biscuits, he watched Josie take one and use the goo to add to the goodness of the mashed potatoes. Eliot’s mouth started watering. Then AJ pulled two cake pans out of the oven too. Italian Cream Cake, Eliot finally realized when he noticed the cooling toasted pecans and coconut. “That’s not going to be enough for all of us.” Nate commented. “There’s another in the fridge.” Sophie added. Josie said, “this was my family’s specialty while I was growing up then Mama B made one for our wedding using fresh eggs and real butter. It made my dad cry.” 

The six adults and two little girls ate southern fried chicken with mashed potatoes and buttermilk biscuits and cream gravy. There wasn’t a vegetable on the table as the containers were passed around. To make up for it, Eliot insisted the girls drink the juice he made that day. It was an awful color but delicious. The adults enjoyed a red from an Oklahoma winery near Tulsa. As the shadows grew long, the Fords took their girl home and JJ went to a nearby rental with her parents. Once again Eliot had his home and his wife to himself. They washed the dishes, put away the food, cleaned the kitchen and table then made their way out to the deck on the west side of the house. They watched the darkness close in behind the color waves of the fading sunlight. From their place, they could see more stars and Babe wished on the first she saw. Eliot saw her. “What did you wish for love?” “Another night like this with all our kids at the table.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The phrases are Enochian. This is the assumed language of Angels. I'm a decedent of both Edward Kelley and John Dee from both sides of the family. It's a favorite story that we can trace our family back to the angels left to guard the garden of Eden and that they bred with Adam and Eve's daughters as well as Lillith's child with Adam. By rights those angels and nephalim were given dominion (and a promotion) over the various dimensions of existence and it was through them magic came to the world and has since been bred out of humanity. It's lore but sometimes I need to let fantasy FLY.


	4. It's Always Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fever creates a friendship

Eliot had been having a nightmare. He had a fever. It was just a virus, he knew. However the fever spiked and Babe was worried. She called the Fords to say they wouldn’t be attending the family dinner on Thursday night because she felt Eliot needed the rest. Lizzie came to the phone when she heard her mom say, “Okay Babe, we’ll see you when Eliot is feeling better.” She took the phone from her mom when Sophie told her she could speak to Babe. “Babe, you need me to help you. He gets a little nutty when he has a fever.” Placing the phone on speaker, Sophie agreed. Babe made arrangement for the Fords to bring Lizzie to the Spencer’s house. 

When Lizzie arrived, she was loaded to stay for weeks. In the past weeks had been what it would take to get her wolf better. She was surprised to see Eliot sleeping under a light weight blanket with an angel, wolves, kangaroos and camels woven into it. He was still radiating heat. First off Lizzie put her comforter on her guardian. Then she went to Eliot’s sock drawer and pulled out his medicine bag. He placed it over his heart and pulled Eliot’s hand up to hold it in place then she sat down in the big chair she pulled from the corner. She was within the arm distance of Eliot and she placed her small hand on his upper arm. “Now we wait.” Babe shook her head. She made broth and tea, she brought in snacks for the little nurse. Lizzie would give her an update when she came into the room. However, Babe was stupefied. She let Lizzie have her way for the first day, but when Eliot’s fever spiked higher, she insisted the comforter be removed. She sent Lizzie to the living room for a few minutes so that she could wash her husband down with a tepid cloth when she spied the spot. A rash on Eliot’s inner thigh. Then she remembered the tic check they had performed after one hasty trip to the mountains for a night away last week. 

Babe went to the computer to find the remedy for the fever that came with tic bites. She asked Lizzie to join her at the computer. “I found this on Eliot’s leg.” She showed the girl a picture. “So, now we know the enemy.” Lizzie scowled at the woman in the same manner as Eliot. It made Babe pull the girl into an embrace and kiss the small wrinkled forehead. After a call to her cousin, a doctor, they had a plan. Prescriptions for antibiotics were on their way and the herbalist in the practice with Babe’s cousin offered a tea and a body wash. Babe and Lizzie took their stations in the bedroom and waited for the delivery. 

Lizzie was puzzling through something on her tablet when Babe asked her what was troubling her. It’s the foreign language they want me to take. “Well when my boys were seeking to study those, one took sign language and the other took computer programing, then there’s AJ, he took Spanish. He did not enjoy it. He’s learned more Italian from Josie than 2 years of Spanish.” “I want to learn Cherokee but I cannot find an online program that offers it.” Babe was raised in Oklahoma too and knew The People were protective of their language like they were their traditions. Babe thought about it. She took her phone and sent off a message to an old friend in Oklahoma. “I’ll check with the program director about an alternative teacher.” Babe told Lizzie in exchange for a beaming smile. “What language did you study?” Lizzie asked. “I studied French because most of my family is from French speaking nations.” Babe replied. “You heard JJ call my pere, which means father in French, GP for grand pere.” Lizzie nodded. “Well She calls me Grandie because my first name is Didyna. That means one who is desired. But my grand mere called me Babe. It stuck. I call my aunts, Tante, and my uncles, Oncle. I say merde, and T’onc when I’m trying not to cuss but still say dirty words. I call the boys Fils sometimes.” Lizzie just listened. Then she remembered hearing Eliot call out for mon amour. She knew that amour meant love but this was before Eliot had met Babe. 

“Eliot called me 'mon amour' when we were young. When we lived in Oklahoma. I broke his heart back then but when he was in the hospital with me, talking late at night or when he thought I was asleep, he called me that again.” Lizzie knew then. In her heart she knew what the script in the tiny tattoo on the inside of the finger on Eliot’s left hand said then. Lizzie said, “His tattoo.” “yes it says D & E 6/20” Babe showed the girl her own tattoo. Lizzie gave the woman a beatific smile then. The girl said to her, “If you don’t mind, I would like to call you Taunte.” It was then that Lizzie had shown her approval for Babe. They raced to the door when the ringer went off. They talked about Eliot as a young man, they shared secrets and Babe showed Lizzie how to knit waiting for Eliot’s medication to wake. 

The morning Eliot’s fever broke he found Babe and ‘Lizbeth Grace in the guest bed surrounded by books, knitting and markers. He knew his two best girls had made peace with each other in that moment. He left them to sleep, showered and started breakfast for his loves. Just before he meant to wake them the phone rang. “Allo” Eliot said. “Hello, um I’m looking for Eliot Spencer. This is Carson Monroe…”

**Author's Note:**

> For information about Elizabeth Grace look up "The Redemption of Eliot Spencer" series but The Tetrarch. Information about the little one being part of rehabilitation keep reading the series. Learn more about Babe in this series. 
> 
> Series stories are not in chronological order.


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